“Intellectual property development is about connection, not collection. Planning for these connections starts at the point of idea conception, and is developed throughout the protection process, through the transaction and monetization.”

Thomas F. Lebens is an experienced attorney-at-law and patent attorney who has served clients since 1991 in preparing and prosecuting patent and trademark applications, including appeals, post-grant review and interferences. In addition to his law practice, Tom currently manages West Coast operations for Fitch Even’s San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Luis Obispo offices.

Tom has handled sophisticated, high-stakes patents across a wide spectrum of technologies and industries, including these:

Analog and digital electronics

Optics

Control systems

Communications, including cellular telephony and satellite communications and design

Semiconductor fabrication

Circuit design

Physics

Medical devices, implants and imaging

Consumer electronics, including television technologies and optical video technologies

In addition, Tom is highly experienced in counseling clients in intellectual property and business strategy; licensing issues; infringement and validity analysis; patentability, infringement, and validity opinions; and copyright matters, both for artistic works and computer software.

Tom has an integrated approach to a business’s intellectual property that spans the lifetime of its assets. Clients value Tom’s involvement from the concept stage all the way to leveraging the asset through sale, licensing, pooling, partnering, and product/service delivery and market management.

Thanks to Tom’s approach, clients better understand their competition, positioning their intellectual property portfolio accordingly, both as potential business partners and as adversaries. And, when it comes time to create and close a deal, his experience, creativity, and competitive spirit come into play.

Represents innovation-driven client in creation and development of patent portfolio, and sale of portfolio to industry leader in smartphone technology.

Represents global consumer electronics and telecommunications company in creation and development of top-10 U.S. and international patent portfolio.

Developed patent portfolio for media post-production company in execution of licensing and product protection strategy.

Leads team in offensive and defensive post-grant review proceedings for various weapon systems in executing business and patent strategies leading to successful outcomes, including mergers/purchases, licensing, and enforcement.

Experienced in patent pre-appeals, appeals, and advanced tactics for a Fortune 500 company in difficult patent prosecution cases in the consumer electronics, telecommunications, and software industries to maximize protection and business value of patent application assets.

Conducts due diligence in connection with purchase of patent assets covering media technologies, leading to improved negotiating conditions, and understanding of limitations and encumbrances.